Acceptance
by LightningRivera
Summary: Hank McCoy's struggles for acceptance through the ending and after Days of Future Past. Rated T to be safe.
1. A New World

Silence.

That was all Hank heard.

Well, there was the sound of shouting and annoying gasps from the government officials, but for the sake of a dramatic point in literature here; let's ignore that.

Raven-Mystique-'s eyes met his, and he could feel the world stop. Yellow orbs met clear blue ones and a silent message was passed. It could have many meanings, like:

"Take care of Charles, my dear Hank," or

"Mutant and proud, remember Hank," or maybe even

"What're you staring at, moron? Got a problem with blue people?"

A small smile rested upon her beautiful lips, and Hank wanted to laugh and cry and shout all at the same time.

But he just stared like those lovestruck victims in sappy Hollywood movies. As she lithely slipped past the wreckage he just stared, wondering what would have happened if he followed her or told her to come back, to not leave him in sorrow. He doubted she would follow or listen to him, though. He had made her cry the last time.

Besides, he was a beast.

(He was in human form then, but that's not the point)

Sadly he followed Charles back to the old school, where he would continue to help search for other mutants.

* * *

Every day he would think about that day, that day when he could have been the gallant knight and rescued the beautiful princess from the cruel world and ride off into the sunset, where a promising world stood.

Sure, Raven had chosen not to shoot and Magneto gave a rather moving monologue: everyone said that it would be alright, that mutants would be accepted into society-

But Hank knew that it was just an empty promise. Humanity would never accept them.

If they couldn't accept the Africans and the homosexual, how could they accept them; with extraordinary powers?

People were always insecure. They were afraid of those who were above them; they detested those who were below them.

At night Hank lay in bed and tried to shut out all the voices and mutants crying out for help.

* * *

Hank was sitting at the back of a truck.

He was wearing a plain button-down shirt with khakis. Raven was sitting next to him. She wore her hair up; her skin glistening a pretty tan in the sun. She was smiling crazily, holding a drink in one hand and an obscene gesture in another.

After laughing at something Hank couldn't register, Raven leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"We should do this more often," she whispered. He nodded. They sat in silence, staring at the clouds and the orange sun.

"That cloud looks like you," he said suddenly.

"Why?" Raven asked.

"It's fluffy and long and curvy."

She grinned. "I take that as a compliment."

He laughed. "You're amazing."

"Another compliment! You sure are generous today, Hank."

He snorted, which eventually led to choking, leading to uncontrollable laughter from the two of them.

The sky darkened and the pale moonlight appeared. They were just two normal people pointing out constellations, sitting at the back of a truck in the peaceful night.

If must be a dream, Hank thought. Sitting next to the most beautiful girl in the world, watching the night pass by..

* * *

Hank woke up in his cosy bed, next to his sad photographs which made him reminiscence in the old times and attend pity parties. Of course it was a dream.

Good things seemed to avoid him.

**A/N Hey guys! Sorry if it was too short!:) I love X-men, and I've been seriously bored these few weeks, so I decided to write this...**

**Hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are welcome:)**


	2. Mutant and Proud

Hank was walking down the street when he saw it.

A building was on fire, and he could hear frantic screams inside. Without thinking much, he raced towards the building and shot up the stairs. The Beast suddenly took over, and he could feel the energy course through his veins. He felt powerful.

The screams were coming from the room down the hall. He hurried towards it.

A young girl was sobbing uncontrollably. When she saw him, she screamed even more.

"It's OK," he said. "I'm going to help you."

She screamed again.

"Hey, it's going to be OK. You're going to get out of this alive. You have to trust me."

She looked at him. She was probably eight or nine; she wore her hair in adorable pigtails and had intelligent grey eyes. "What are you?" she asked.

Well, that was a rude. What did parents teach their kids these days?

"I'm just like you."

"No you're not. You're big and hairy and _blue." _she said.

"So what if I look d-different? I'm still human._" Hypocrite, _he chided. He didn't even believe that himself. "Now I'm going to help you out, alright? Trust me." He grabbed her tiny waist and, muttering a silent prayer; he leaped from the window.

A screaming crowd greeted his painful landing.

He gently let go of the girl and set her on the stone pavement. He tried for a friendly smile.

"Oh my gosh, what is _that?"_ a blonde girl asked, pointing at Hank. Phone cameras and blinding flashes met his eyes. People were gasping, screaming, shouting...

"I think he might have choked her."

"Look at his teeth!"

"You mean his _feet. _They're huge. Is he, like, a mutated monkey or something?"

"He's so ugly!"

The next thing he knew he was running down a busy street.

Far away from people.

Keep running, Hank. It's going to be OK.

* * *

"I can't do it anymore!" Hank cried. He was back at the school, yelling in his lonely labatory.

He was back in human form, but that didn't matter much now. He remembered the people's faces: horrified looks and rude pointing as if he was a circus animal.

He felt like the Elephant Man.

He had heard that story from Mother when he was younger: Joseph Merrick was a severely deformed man who lived in the 1860's. It was the Victorian era; people were especially poor and mean. Joseph couldn't get a proper job so he signed on for the circus where his deformities would be showcased for the world to watch. Thus he earned the name 'The Elephant Man.' People pointed and jeered at his abnormal looks-he died at the young age of twenty-eight.

Hank wondered how the world could be so cruel.

* * *

He didn't want to leave the comforting school, but he needed some air. He headed to the deserted park three blocks from the school. It was sort of like his favourite spot: a shady tree with ripe green leaves. He plopped down beneath it and buried his head between his legs.

It was so peaceful. No screaming humans, no traffic.

Here, he could be anyone he wanted to be: Beast or Hank McCoy.

Don't get him wrong, the school was great. Charles was kind to him, he got to work peacefully. But the children would stare at him as he walked down the halls, he would get looks sent his way whenever the Beast unexpectedly took over.

Here he was accepted, here nature was-

"Hey," a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see a blue figure staring down at him.

"Raven?" he asked, surprised.

"I heard about what happened."

"You were there?" he asked.

"It was all over the news," she replied. "You're OK?"

He stared at her sadly. "They looked at me as though I was a monster. I tried to save a little girl but they just looked at me like I hurt her."

She kneeled down and put a comforting hand on his arm. "They don't deserve your help, Hank. But you saved her. That's all that matters."

"I just wish that this world was perfect. That everyone helped each other, where there are no wars..." he trailed. "-where no one stared at you like you were a freak."

Raven's looked sad. "I wish that you could see how beautiful you are, Hank."

"I'm a beast!"

"Look past all that," she put a hand on his cheek, "you're beautiful."

"I wish I could believe that."

"Join me, Hank," She stood up and held out her hand to him.

He looked back up at her. "They would like me?"

"They would fear you. You seriously think that they would accept mutants? They fear us, Hank."

And then it hit him again. No one was going to accept him. _Remember Hank, mutant and proud._

He took her hand. "Where do we start?"


End file.
